Child abuse justice an 'elusive concept'

Geoff has been working for the QT since August 2011 covering Ipswich’s rural areas. He started working for APN in January 2010 with the Chinchilla News in western Queensland after growing up on a grain farm. Geoff spends his time out of work watching far too much sport following the Reds, the Broncos and various American teams.

CHAIRMAN of the royal commission into institutionalised child sex abuse will describe justice for victims as an "elusive concept" at a speech in Auckland today.

Justice Peter McClellan will address the Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect in Auckland today.

While Justice McClellan will primarily speak about how other professions, including psychiatrists, have become vital the operation of the legal system he said justice was different on a case-by-case basis.

"Justice for victims is an elusive concept," he said.

"In the civil context redress schemes providing modest money compensation without the need to prove a breach of a duty of care are commonly believed to be appropriate.

"Justice for victims in the criminal context raises multiple and complex issues different from the issues in a civil context."